The Brazilian Government is “available to help”, but without interference, for an agreement between TAP and Azul on the debt of 200 million, said this Friday the Minister of Ports and Airports of Brazil.
Silvio Costa Filho, argued, in an interview with Lusa, in Lisbon, that “this agreement is very important for both companies”, but there cannot be “interference” by governments in issues between the two.
A position that is clear with the Portuguese Government and discussed in the meeting he had this Thursday with his counterpart, the Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, as part of the two-day official visit, during which he will meet today. with the TAP administration.
At the meeting between the two ministers, Silvio Costa Filho said that they dealt with “the Azul issue in an institutional manner” and it is clear that both governments want “an understanding at the end of this dialogue between TAP and Azul”.
But “it was agreed” that the legal issue will be respected.
“Let’s wait for this process to go through its natural cycle, and, if possible, reach an agreement between TAP and Azul”, but without “any interference on the part of the Brazilian or Portuguese governments” in the airlines, he highlighted.
The Brazilian executive “has been in dialogue with TAP”, said the minister, who will have a meeting in Lisbon today with the airline’s management, to “better understand the situation” of the debt.
You cannot “force payment” but you can have “a dialogue to raise awareness, so that an agreement can be reached between the two companies”, he stated.
In this sense, he also guaranteed that the Brazilian government “is available to help in any terms of cooperation”.
In the meeting with Miguel Pinto Luz, the Brazilian minister admitted that he “raised some concerns regarding the possibility of this agreement” and the Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure said “expressly” that he “will respect the legal process”.
Regarding a possible deadline for reaching the agreement, the minister preferred not to comment.
What is at issue is a dispute between TAP and Azul over a bond loan from the Brazilian airline to its Portuguese counterpart, which matures in 2026.
Azul wants to receive the amount of the 198 million euros in question in advance, and TAP does not intend to move forward.
Today, the last day of his stay in Portugal, the Brazilian minister, in addition to the meeting with TAP, will visit the port of Lisbon.
Last Thursday, the Brazilian minister met with the administrations of Indra and Galp, a company with large investments in oil and natural gas production in Brazil.
Da Galp said in the interview with Lusa, which shows the energy company’s desire to expand its investments in Brazil.
Galp already has an “important position in the area of oil production” and is already “a major commercial partner of Brazil”, stressed the minister, but “wants to expand investments” in the country.
Silvio Costa Filho said he presented Galp with the concession auction portfolio for the next three years, with some in the liquid bulk area in which the company may be interested.
Source: www.jornaldenegocios.pt
